It is known in the art to use a cushioned backup roll to support a web of soft, absorbent cloth material as the material is pressed against the surface of a bowling lane during cleaning operations. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,434 assigned to the owner of the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference into the present specification.
The present invention provides an improved backup roll having an exposed fibrous pile face that engages the inside surface of the web of material to provide improved conforming contact between the outside surface of the web and irregularities in the lane surface as the cleaning machine moves along the lane. In a preferred embodiment, the pile face is comprised of countless tufts of generally radially outwardly projecting, relatively short fibers that yield and bend as necessary to enable the outside surface of the web to conform and contact surface irregularities in an intimate manner. Preferably, the fibers are constructed from non-absorbent material and form part of a wrapper that surrounds the roll. The wrapper may be a permanent part of the roll or selectively removable therefrom for replacement or cleaning. Suitable fasteners such as strips of hook and loop material may be utilized to detachably secure the wrapper to the body of the roll. Preferably also, the body of the roll is constructed from a cushion material such as a closed cell polyurethane foam.